Deep and full ruby color, lush and velvety on the nose with notes of white pepper, leather, dried herbs and red stone fruit. Lush and bright with acidity, juicy and round. A mouthful! Lots of wine here, a bit Rubenesque without the weight. Cherry pits abound. On the youthful side. Hmm, some of us like ‘em young. Will cellar and reward. I’m thinking a cedar planked salmon fillet crusted with coriander, baked low temp then topped with shreded mint served with lime!

Winner of a Silver Medal at the 2014 Harvest Fair and a Bronze Medal at the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition.

195 cases produced

$52.00

Qty

2011 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley New!

A bold Burgundian nose with a medium ruby hue that’s bright with great clarity. Good youthful fruit with intensity, in the realm of darker red fruits with spice and herbs. Attractive and rich, mouth filling and juicy. A lot going on here. Suave and silky on the palate, with flavors of cherry to rhubarb and green tea with well integrated tannins. Delicious. A wine that is “Russian River”. Asian spiced duck or pork from simple to intricate would suit this wine well.

92 points-Wine & Spirits, December 2014.

458 cases produced

$42.00

Qty

2011 Pinot Noir, Ritchie Vineyard, Cinder Cone

Vibrant deep ruby in color, elegant, rich and seductive on the nose, the smell of a river evening aura encapsulated, complex. Dark cherries and violets. Rich and spicy on the palate, lots of depth and vigor, with earth and minerality. Savory. Tannin structure beneath speaks of good cellaring to come, finishes long and strong. What I call a California Grand Cru, a connoisseur’s wine. Lovely. Drink one now and put the rest down for a while. Serve with something with either huckleberries or morels, or tuna tartar, mmmm good.

Winner of a Silver Medal from New York World Wine & Spirits Competition.

141 cases produced

$65.00

Qty

2010 Pinot Noir, Buena Tierra, Russian River Valley

A medium ruby colored wine with some depth and color intensity. Strawberry jam and mushroom earth aromatics at first, then layered with cardamom spice, green tea and some floral notes, a touch of white and green pepper. Very Burgundian. The palate reminds one of what they call “sauvage” in French wine tasting terms, a wild taste and smell, with a full backbone of medium grain tannins, backed by pomegranate, stems and a stone fruit center. All around more French “Burgundian” than typical California. It grows in the glass. The last of its breed, as the vineyard was pulled out, suffering from the ravages of Phylloxera. The clone was never known. The range from year to year of this wine covered so many descriptors, it was fantastic, and for those of you holding any prior vintages, a lesson in wine and vintage years in itself.

GOODBYE MY LOVE.

Pair with meat and game dishes that feature wild mushrooms. Should benefit with a little age, at least 5-6 years more.

120 cases produced

$65.00

Qty

2011 Pinot Noir, Humboldt County

Silver Medal at the 2014 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition!

Chased by the early rains of the year, the color of dark ruby belies the low sugar at harvest of this Nor-Cal gem. A nose of dark fruits, spice, black pepper is paramount, with underlying notes of forest floor. Aromatic complexity grows in the glass. A bright bold mouthful of black cherry and mulberry fruit, with a dark earth and mineral tannin structure that shows the origin of this mountain fruit! Pleasant and long, will reward with a little more cellaring. But, as you all know, I like ‘em on the younger side! Asian duck recipes would do it justice.

372 cases produced

$46.00

Qty

2010 Pinot Noir, Ritchie Vineyard, Cinder Cone

Our Inaugural Release, from the Kent Ritchie vineyard, a gentleman farmer extraordinaire. From a 2 acre block that I have coined as “Cinder Cone” that speaks of its volcanic origin. 2 acres in size with 910 vines, double rowed, one side being old Martini clone, the other side Pommard clone. On the older side, 35 years or so, a real piece of rare earth.

Deep and deeper dark ruby with vibrancy. Aromas of red and black licorice, coffee, with a whisper of violets, and light earth, multidimensional, grows in glass, rich yet delicate. The palate is refined and elegant, juicy, well rounded with plenty of fruit and a savory minerality, black cherry, stone fruit, huckleberry. A mouthful. It’s the river on a still night. Wonderfully psychedelic. Well-integrated tannins, will just get better! A royal wine plush and satin. A complexity demanding attention of a refined palate. A California “Grand Cru”, a rarity. A worthy successor to our Buena Tierra old vine. I drink it on its own.

124 cases produced

$65.00

Qty

2010 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley

Silver Medal at the 2014 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition!

Featured in the January 2014 issue of Food & Wine!

Silver Medal Winner – Sonoma County Harvest Fair 2013

Medium ruby extraction belies its relatively low alcohol, light raspberry and herbal aromatics, chamomile, pennyroyal, and strawberry rhubarb with some toasty oak, bringing forth spice nuances. Lovely palate entry, full and juicy, with cola, cherries, and green tea. Some light earthiness. A fairly long and juicy finish. This wine (our flagship) consistently shows the intricacies and the complexities of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Without it being a “Grand Wine”, it is the most cost friendly and accessible wine that I have found anywhere in this valley, try and compare. Made in a totally natural fashion without additives that “enhance” like so many others. It’s my “go to everyday wine”. The wine should improve with some age, silk out and be enjoyable for a few years to come.

872 cases produced

$42.00

Qty

Zinfandel

2012 Mariah Vineyard, Mendocino Ridge New!

New Mariah Vineyard Zinfandel from Mendocino Ridge.

150 cases produced

$46.00

Qty

2011 Zinfandel, Bertoli Vineyard, Leras Ranches, RRV

Deep red in color with voluptuous bursting boysenberry aromatics, followed by a briary complexity. Palate brings forth a mintiness mixed oak spice and succulence of plums and berries. Low alcohol, lovely balance and fine-grained tannins. Would pair well with lamb burgers (on the rare side) with kalamata olives and feta. Try it!

229 cases produced

$30.00

Qty

2011 Zinfandel, Guido Venturi Vineyard, Mendocino County

A very deep red, a subdued nose with notes of brown sugar, spice and sage and a hint of violets. Broad and voluptuous on the palate with an abundance of dark fruit, spice, plum, mulberry, dried herbs and black tea. Initially firm tannins but melts in your mouth, with good concentration and no over ripeness. Yummy! Try a sausage and roasted garlic pizza with a white sauce and rosemary! To die for!

266 cases produced

$34.00

Qty

2010 Zinfandel, Braccialini Vineyard, Alexander Valley

Bright ruby in color, warm and inviting, aromas of currants, raspberries, musk, anise and Asian spice. The palate gushes with brandied cherries, plums and a hint of mocha. Some cedar and sage backtones and a medium grained tannin. Long and juicy, drinking great now! But I’ll bet it goes another 5 years! Try it with smoked baby back ribs. Alas, our last vintage of this highly awarded wine.

250 cases produced

$34.00

Qty

2008 Zinfandel, Martinelli Road Vineyard Old Vine, Russian River

Silver Medal at the 2014 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition!

The 2008 vintage of Martinelli Road Zinfandel marks our last production of this unique and venerable wine. The vintage is produced from 128-year old vines, planted in 1880! Although this wine is not technically from “Jackass Hill,” nor “Jackass Vineyard”, which is the lower portion of the vineyard, (these terms are held in strict copyright by the Martinelli family) , it is essentially the same fruit. There is a fence, however, separating the two vineyards as each is owned by different members of the Martinelli clan. Cared for by both Leno and Joe Martinelli, and later by Andy Duckhorn, it is one of the gems of Sonoma County.

The age ability of this wine is historically significant and should age easily 10-15 years. My tenure at Williams-Selyem (the original producer of “Jackass Hill” Vineyard) was my introduction to this fine wine. Last year, at our Woodenhead end of harvest party, I had occasion to open a 1981 Hacienda Del Rio (the former name of Williams-selyem) Jackass Hill Zinfandel from my personal collection. Burt Williams was present to partake in the festivities and I decided to open something special. The hour was late, and there had been a lot of wine consumed, but for the revelers that stayed, it was a “WOW” experience. It just blew us all away that a 31-year old Zin was as youthful and exuberant as it gets. It certainly was a moment for all to remember. I can’t promise you all that this wine will approach that kind of experience, but it is cut from the same cloth, so to speak!

Deep purple in color with violet edging. Open nose of dark black fruit and berries, bark, briar, earth and spice, i.e. clove and cinnamon. Effusive, woody, not too ripe. Cedar cigar box notes. Mouth filling, big, luscious with medium forward tannins. Similar to huckleberries. Dusty chocolate and black cherry (kind of like Black Forest Cake!), black licorice and earth. A wine that drinks well now but I believe is still young and will develop further. One for now and one for the road as they say. A long road it may be as the 2008 Martinelli Zin takes a bow and bids us here at woodenhead adieu!

465 cases produced

$45.00

Qty

Other Wines

2012 Syrah, Dolinsek Ranch, Russian River Valley

The Syrah is back from the 2012 vintage.

74 cases produced

$40.00

Qty

2013 French Colombard, Russian River Valley New!

Crisp, refreshing, perfect with oyster on the half shelf or on a hot day!

90 points-Wine & Spirits, December 2014.

245 cases produced

$22.00

Qty

2009 Methode Champenoise Sparkling Wine, Russian River Valley

Featured in SF Gate's article: A Serious State for American Sparkling: October 2013

"Woodenhead's fizz, curiously based on French Colombard, remains a papery, crisp effort that's the perfect choice for oysters. A mineral kick defines it, with lemon zest, wet stones and thyme accents, and an intense green-apple freshness. Priced ambitiously, given the base material, but a unique Russian River expression."

A note on my notes, I write these descriptors at the time of release,
when you taste these wines, you'll probably taste other things as these
wines continue to change and evolve. Hold these notes only as far as
you can throw them, the wine plays by its own rules. Everything is
released unfined and unfiltered. Sediment does accumulate with age.
Stand up these bottles a day before opening, if you can. Enjoy the
power, the beauty and the elegance of these wines as I do.